Chapter 20: The Mysterious Cult
The following morning when all awoke in Robert's apartment, Eric, Sandy, Maxim and Marilla placed the sleeping bags in the corner of the room, before heading to the kitchen.
"Good morning, everybody," greeted the ex-spy. "Hope you all slept well."
"The night was good for all of us, especially Eric. He's been sleeping restlessly for the past ten years, for some unknown reason," responded Sandy quietly.
"Let's check out what's on the news," suggested Robert while his sister prepared breakfast.
Maxim turned on the radio that sat on the buffet. The sound frightened both Marilla and the half-elf. The two ladies had never seen that 'modern' means of communication until that very moment.
"What… what is that?" queried a scared Brennil.
"This is what we call a radio," answered Eric in a gentle voice.
"It's one of the means for acquiring information, like a newspaper, television, telephone and the internet," added the travel agent kindly.
"How did you get your news in Middle-earth?" asked Maxim with curiosity.
"We have minstrels. They sing songs across the lands announcing the important events in our world," responded Menelleth softly.
"We also use messengers," chimed in the daughter of the Dark Enemy.
"Don't worry, I'll explain to you how everything works," declared Sandy before launching into a long, tiresome explanation about the apparatus from the twenty-first century.
The two ladies listened with great interest. They were impressed to hear that all those things worked without magic. The women didn't ask any questions until the narration was over. The travel agent patiently clarified everything for both the half-elf and the lady. Miss Frasier tried to explain things in the simplest of terms, but she noticed that Marilla still had difficulty comprehending the English language.
Sandy continued to cook eggs, bacon and sausages for everybody while speaking with the ladies. They had listened to the weather, traffic report, sports, cultural art and economy bulletins on the radio. When their meal was ready, the travel agent served them as Eric turned the volume up on the device for the actual news.
As the six friends ate, the listened to the newscaster:
"The Mafia and street gangs have decided to strike on the suburbs of New York. Last night, there were a number of robberies of stores and banks. The police force has been unable to deal with the situation and apprehended only one suspect in the whole affair… "
They continued eating while Maxim complained about the cops, cursing them as usual. When the company had finished their breakfast, Brennil mentioned to Sandy that Marilla had difficulty understanding their tongue, and the woman deemed that it would be a good idea if the child of Morgoth received some lessons in English.
Marilla was unable to restrain herself from asking Robert about his gun collection, which he more than happily showed her. The woman was amazed to see all those strange tubes but requested that the young man teach her how to handle them just the same.
The ex-secret agent happily agreed. The lady thanked him before telling Mr. Brock that it was time to begin their lesson in swordplay.
The musician followed her into a room where Marilla demonstrated the basic moves before practicing with wooden pieces that Robert kept in one of his closets. At first, the artist had much difficulty, but after only an hour, he was much better than she had expected.
They commenced to dueling. She corrected his mistakes before taking their training session to the next level.
Maxim and Marilla were quickly becoming good friends. As they practiced, he realized his feeling for her were much deeper than friendship. The guitarist didn't want to tell her how he felt because he feared starting a serious relationship. His past experiences weren't so good. He couldn't keep a girlfriend longer then two weeks because of his obsessive passion for music.
"What's wrong, Max?' queried the lady.
"Well, I suppose that you have plenty of friends in Middle-earth," said Maxim thoughtfully.
"I have only Menelleth and Robert. All the others had been murdered by the King of Rohan," declared Marilla sadly.
"I'm sorry," apologized Mr. Brock sympathetically.
"Thanks for your kind words. It touches me," replied the lady with a deep sigh as she remembered what happened at the Riddermark.
"I understand how you feel. I lost my parents in a car accident when I was still a child. From that fateful day onward, I've always felt alone. I grew up with my music. My guitar's always been my only reason to live," said Maxim with emotion in his voice as his eyes welled with tears.
"I'm older than you think, Max. I was raised by the elves throughout the First and Second Ages of this world. They are the fairest and wisest beings in Middle-earth. I'll never forget them… as they exist in my wounded heart," said Marilla softly.
"I didn't know you were that old," replied a surprised Maxim.
"It doesn't matter," laughed the daughter of Morgoth.
"You seem to have your whole life in front of you, but when I look into your eyes, all I see is sadness," commented the musician.
"That's the result of not being able to find a place for myself in this cruel world," stated Marilla sullenly.
The musician felt pity for her. He stopped the exercise and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly.
'People have mistreated her just because she's the descendant of that evil god. How unfair! Marilla is a good person in so many ways. She deserves better than what she has known,' thought an outraged Maxim.
The lyrics to a song suddenly popped into his mind. He took a deep breath before singing it to her:
"So far your life has been a circus
Hiding when you're hurt and nervous
Where did you go?
You always find yourself untying
Letting fate do your deciding
Like you don't know
Life carries on sing your song
Find the love that you had for you
Right or wrong sing your song
And just walk on
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
Time to find nothing to lose
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
Don't wait for time cause
Time won't wait for you
Crippled by your own conviction
A history of bad predictions
Is haunting you
If life don't go the way you've planned it
You don't need to understand it
Just follow through
Life carries on sing your song
Find the love that you had for you
Right or wrong sing your song
And just walk on
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
Time to find nothing to lose
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
Don't wait for time cause
Time won't wait for you
Do you agree me and all your schemes?
Are waiting there in front of you
The door is open wide just walk on
If you lie there, you will die here
With so much more to do
The door is open wide just walk on
Through it on… with your life…
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
Time to find nothing to lose
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
With your life in front of you
Don't wait for time cause
Time won't wait for you."
The lady listened until the last note faded. He had such a charismatic and sonorous voice. She leaned against Maxim. As he felt her body press against his, the man gave way to temptation and kissed her; she didn't push him away. They spent some private time together before resuming their training session.
The others that had remained in the living room were having a lively conversation about France and Washington D.C., anything that didn't pertain to the Dark Foe. It was then that they lawyer decided to reveal the reason that had motivated him to work so diligently for the last several years.
"I've been searching the underground, and I've come across something that may interest you," said the Frenchman.
"What is it?" asked Robert.
"I've seen men dressed as priests in the basement of a skyscraper. There were about a hundred of them gathered around an altar; none noticed my presence. I have no idea who they are, but I managed to tape some of their conversation before I returned to town. I've spent the last several years studying it, trying to translate their secret language," explained Eric.
"What were they talking about?" asked the ex-CIA agent with interest.
"I don't know. I've never succeeded in translating a single word," answered the lawyer.
"Do you have the tape with you?" queried the ex-spy, his curiosity growing.
"Yeah, I still have it. Why?" inquired a bewildered Eric.
"Let me listen to it," requested Robert.
The barrister pulled out a hand held cassette recorder and pushed play. Everybody listened carefully until the voices stopped. It was in a tongue that the young man recognized immediately.
"What was that?" asked Sandy after the man pressed the stop button.
"It's the secret language of that mysterious group," responded Eric.
"They're speaking in the Black Speech," stated the ex-spy to everybody's surprise.
"What do they say?" asked his sister once the shock factor wore off.
"They are performing a ceremony of remembrance, sharing memories of the dead, and singing the praises of Morgoth," responded Robert.
"What's wrong, Rob?" queried a worried Eric when he noticed his brother's vacant eyes.
"It's just a headache," answered the ex-CIA agent quietly before leaving his guests.
The New Yorker locked himself in the bathroom, and vomited several times in the toilet. He sat hunched over the toilet retching his guts out.
"Does anyone know what's happening with him?" asked a concerned Sandy.
"No," simply answered the half-elf.
"What's going on?" inquired Maxim. He and Marilla had rejoined the others, having finished their training session.
"We've discovered that there's a cult dedicated to our enemy hidden somewhere in New York, and Robert is ill," answered Brennil as the couple entered the living room.
"Our brother had become sick when he heard that dark language on that cassette," revealed the lawyer as he pointed to the device on the coffee table.
"Are you alright, Menelleth?" asked the lawyer when he noticed her trembling body.
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm with child," admitted the half-elf with a large smile.
"What?" questioned all of her confused friends upon hearing that.
"I should have told you earlier. Robby and I are going to have a baby," announced Brennil as her grin widened.
"That's wonderful!" exclaimed an excited Sandy.
"Congratulations!" chimed in the Frenchman cheerfully.
"We need to celebrate!" shouted a happy Mr. Brock.
They all laughed heartedly, glad for Menelleth. They planned to hold a feast to mark the occasion while the ex-spy was still in the bathroom.
After an hour, the ex-CIA agent left the bathroom, and retreated to his bedchamber to take a nap. He looked pale.
Several hours later, he was awakened by Maxim's playing. He had composed a song in honor of the occasion. The New Yorker changed into clean clothes before heading into the living room, only to discover his friends were in the process of merrymaking.
"What exactly are you celebrating?" inquired the sleepy young man.
"Look who finally decided to pop in," replied the guitarist teasingly.
"Congratulations, brother! You're gonna be a father," disclosed a joyful Eric as he squeezed his brother's shoulder.
"What?! You… you're not serious…my dearly beloved… with child?" stammered Mr. Fraser.
"Yes, she is," responded the travel agent.
The half-elf approached her boyfriend, and hugged him tightly, before planting many kisses on his face. The ex-secret agent embraced her lovingly.
"I'm so happy," stated Robert affectionately as tears of joy rolled down his face. He kissed her on the lips.
The festivities continued until late in the night. Sandy had prepared refreshments and a special meal for them. As the musician played his guitar, the company all sang songs together, not giving any thought to their problems for a while.
Unbeknownst to them, the authorities were having an extremely busy night. They pursued a variety of street gangs throughout the suburbs, but what really caught their attention was the new building under construction in the center of town. The officers approached the building in order to have a closer look.
New York's finest drew closer to the building, unaware of the presence of its owner and his fell beasts. They couldn't believe that a palace was being constructed in the middle of the city. It was then that Morgoth became aware of the trespassers, and that displeased him greatly.
"Keep on working. I'll deal with these intruders… personally!" ordered the evil Vala.
His minions obeyed. The Dark Enemy approached the police stealthily.
"I wonder who built this fortress here," said a policewoman.
"It's probably some multi-billionaire," suggested one of her colleagues.
"We'll see soon enough," added another man in uniform.
The Dark Foe was still watching them. He wasn't about to tolerate law enforcement officers in his domain. The evil Vala continued to follow the trespassers. He was waiting for the right moment before they suffered his wrath.
"Did you see that? It looked like a gigantic silhouette," cried out one of the women.
"No. It's probably a fragment of your imagination. C'mon. Let's check it out," replied the man to her left.
'Me, a fragment of someone's imagination? Let's see what they say in a minute,' thought a wrathful Melkor when he heard the policeman's reply.
The evil Vala then suddenly appeared before the mortals. When the cops saw him, they froze. He took a few more paces and stopped a couple of feet in front of them.
"Who are you?" queried one of the policemen.
"I'm the owner of this stronghold. You're not welcomed here. Go away or I'll kill you," answered a fuming Morgoth in a menacing tone.
The law enforcement officers were afraid when they heard his menacing voice. They didn't know what to do. They had never imagined encountering a shadow that had the ability to talk to them. After considering the Dark Foe's warning, the chief then gave his brethren their orders.
"Retreat to the cars! We're going back to the station," barked the chief fearfully.
The police ran to their vehicles, which were stationed only a few meters from the fortress. The evil Vala chased them in his rage. He caught a policewoman before she could get inside her squad car. Her partners were terrified. They jumped into the vehicles and took off at great speed, none dare looked back.
The former Lord of Angband laughed cruelly as he saw the cops flee; he still held the poor woman in his left hand. When the police were out of sight, Morgoth returned to the only completed part of his home. His captive was unable to talk; she was so scared. He placed the woman on the bed in his own private chambers, locking the door before he turned his attention to his minions.
"I want ten of you to go into the city and destroy everything in your path," commanded Morgoth to his Balrogs. He paused before giving his orders to the giant spiders. "Four of you shall accompany and assist them. Bring me all the materials you can for the fortress. Do not return until you have enough."
The selected cronies bowed down before him. Their Master gave them one last command.
"Capture the women and children! I'm going to need slaves," instructed the Lord of the World callously.
The creatures nodded and then left the castle. They went through the city, swinging their multi-thong, burning whips against the skyscrapers. The evil Vala laughed wickedly as he saw the beasts carrying out his orders. As the remaining monsters continued to labor on his stronghold, he left to pay a visit to his prisoner.
He unlocked the door and entered the room, closing the door behind him. The policewoman sat there quivering when she saw her captor enter the chamber. She swallowed hard and attempted to regain her composure.
"Do you know who I am, woman?" he asked coldly as their eyes met.
"N-no," she replied in a shuddering voice.
"I'm Melkor, King of the World," he proclaimed frostily.
The woman jumped to her feet and attempted to attack him. The Dark Lord easily grabbed his detainee with his right hand and threw her across the room as if she were a rag doll. She let out a painful cry when she collided with the wall.
"Never try to attack me again, foolish woman," hissed the evil Vala ruthlessly.
"What are you?" questioned the policewoman. She knew that he was no mere man; his strength was too great.
"I'm a God," responded Morgoth.
"Am I supposed to believe that?" asked the detective skeptically.
"I have something that I want to show you," revealed the Dark Enemy harshly before dragging the woman with him. He took her to the section of his halls where his servants were busily working. The woman was shocked to see such creatures.
"This is a nightmare come true!" she exclaimed in a horrified tone.
"Did I mention that I can make your life a living hell? Trust me when I say that's what I do best," sneered Melkor cruelly.
"You're the Devil reincarnated!" shouted the terrified policewoman.
"I'll take that as a compliment," snickered the Dark Enemy.
"What are those monsters?" queried the fearful woman.
"Those are my Balrogs, spiders and Trolls," answered the evil Vala harshly.
"What the hell are they doing here?" inquired the near hysterical lady.
"They are my servants," responded Morgoth unkindly.
"What about that man dressed in black?" asked the woman when she noticed the stranger.
"You'll see… in time," came the answer from the Dark Foe.
He incarcerated the woman once again, leaving a chair in the room, before slamming the door.
"Caurë," summoned Morgoth.
The Wraith came as soon as he heard his Master's call.
"Yes, Master," he replied in an unearthly voice.
"Watch this girl and don't let her escape," ordered the evil Vala.
"As you wish, my Lord Melkor," declared the former Nazgûl Lord with another bow.
The Dark Enemy opened the door, closing it only after his crony crossed the threshold. Morgoth then returned to work on the construction site. The prisoner was locked in the chamber alone with the spectre.
Caurë sat on the chair, the woman's gaze was locked on him. He was taller than all the men that she had ever encountered in her life.
"Who or what are you?" demanded the policewoman.
The 'man' said nothing. He only glared hatefully at her.
"Hey! I asked you a question," shouted the irritated woman.
"I'm Caurë, and I'm a Nazgûl," responded the Wraith callously as his eyes glowed with an intense red light.
"What are you exactly?" queried the woman, her fear replaced by curiosity.
"I'm a Ringwraith," he answered in an annoyed tone.
"They only exist in books," replied the captive.
"I'm real, just as my former Master was until he died," retorted the Wraith as he gripped her arm firmly.
The lady felt four claws colder than a winter wind against her flesh, which caused her to shiver.
"Please, release me! My arm hurts," cried out the woman as the pain penetrated her body.
Caurë let go, much to the lady's relief. She rubbed her bruised limb as she sat there trembling.
"Do you mean that you were serving someone else before this Melkor?" queried the policewoman.
"Yes," hissed the Nazgûl callously.
"Who was that person?" inquired the woman.
"I'll say it only once, and don't you dare repeat it. His name was Sauron," responded Caurë softly.
They both fell silent. They were each deep in their own thoughts.
In the mean time, one of the priests from the mysterious cult had found a magnificent golden key in the basement of their headquarters. He wondered what lock it opened. The cleric instinctively uttered a few words in the Black Speech, and then a magical gate appeared. The man pushed the key into the lock and turned it. The infamous door opened only to reveal a world of nothingness, something that he had never seen before.
The priest enunciated another incantation and then waited two minutes. Something passed through the doorway before the elapsed time; it was the spirit of a fallen Dark Lord. Shortly afterwards, the man closed the door, which vanished, leaving no trace behind. When the portal had disappeared, the priest discovered that he wasn't alone.
"Who's there?" asked the evil man quietly.
"A dead man," answered a sonorous, menacing and authoritarian voice out of nowhere.
The spirit surveyed his surroundings, mystified that he found himself outside of the Void.
"What have I done?" shouted the man when he realized what he had done.
"Thank you for granting me my freedom," said the grateful ghost.
"Don't thank me. Go away and leave me alone!" barked the petrified man.
The spirit didn't appreciate hearing those words, but on the other hand, he had no desire to linger in that basement. The apparition ventured through the numerous halls, and after what seemed to be an eternity, he emerged outside. The phantom then followed one of the roads that led to downtown.
'I should have remained in the Void until the unmaking of Arda. Why have I been brought back? My part is supposed to be over,' wondered the bodiless character in his mind as it gazed around its environment. 'Where am I? This is not Mordor and it's most certainly not Middle-earth. What is this place?' thought the spirit.
Robert lay in bed with the half-elf. Everybody was sleeping soundly except him. The ex-spy's thoughts were preoccupied with the infamous cult. He attempted to clear his mind of all thoughts, but soon discovered that someone had intruded in his mind instead.
The American then heard a familiar voice that he never expected to hear again. The young man froze. He knew pretty well, whom it belonged to, but the ex-secret agent refused to believe that that person was there.
'No, it can't be possible. I saw you die!' shouted an extremely shocked Mr. Fraser.
'Defeated is the more appropriate word, for I cannot die,' stated the spirit, who appeared to be none other than Morgoth's former lieutenant.
'You lie!' yelled the New Yorker in his mind.
'I need your help, Robert,' declared the Dark Lord in an abrasive tone.
'Do you think that I'm going to aid you after what you did to me?' questioned the ex-CIA agent defiantly.
'Will you at least tell me where I am?' queried the evil Maia.
The ex-spy had no desire to speak with him, but the American was curious as to what Sauron's intensions were, so he decided to let their mental conversation continue.
'You're in New York City, in the United States on Earth,' answered the New Yorker before pausing. 'Welcome to the twenty-first century,' he added with scorn.
'What?!' shouted a confused Dark Lord.
'You're in my world, bastard,' declared the ex-secret agent before laughing at Sauron mockingly.
'Mark my words: Morgoth is the enemy, not me,' replied the evil Maia coolly.
'Care to enlighten me?' demanded Robert curtly.
'Let's just say that Melkor had done something horrible to me,' responded Sauron in the Black Speech, attempting to maintain his composure.
'So, if I understand you well enough, you want to retaliate against our foe,' stated the young man in the same language.
'I want to kill him,' hissed the Dark Lord hatefully.
'You wish to bring about Morgoth's downfall, but he will not fall by your hands. That task has been assigned to me. If I can't find a way to defeat him, then nobody will,' replied the ex-CIA agent.
'I'm well aware of that, Robert. That's why I'll share my knowledge with you,' stated Sauron.
'Why are you suddenly so willing to help me?' questioned the stunned ex-spy.
'I know that you will not give up, not as long as you are alive, and I must honour that,' answered the Dark Lord.
'Tell me what you know,' said Robert.
'Melkor left Middle-earth with twenty Balrogs, sixteen spiders, and one hundred Trolls. His minions are busily erecting his fortress even as we speak.' The evil Maia paused. 'This is only the first step in his plan. He will have all the women and children become his thralls, and desires to have all on this planet to worship him as a god. He intends on using a cult of worshippers devoted to him to help him achieve his goals.
'That evil Vala will spread terror, death and destruction into every corner of Arda. He'll eliminate any that stand in his way. He will increase his armies before unleashing his demons on Earth. To tell you the truth, it's going to be the End of the World,' explained Sauron.
'Do you know when he plans on attacking?' queried the emotionless ex-secret agent.
'As soon as his stronghold is completed,' came the answer from the Dark Lord.
'Is that all you know?' inquired the ex-CIA agent coolly.
'No, I have more information for you. I had made some mystical armor for that son-of-a-bitch but I deliberately omitted the magic. It will only provide him the protection of normal mail,' responded Sauron before laughing evilly.
'What did our adversary do to deserve such treachery from you?' asked an amazed Robert.
'He cut off my limbs and nearly let me bleed to death,' responded the evil Maia with aversion.
'But you told me that you were able to remake your flesh,' protested the American.
'If I was still able to do that, I would've been able to replace my missing finger,' spat out Sauron.
'Now, let's get down to business,' replied the ex-spy rudely.
'I wish to put our rivalry aside for a while,' declared the Dark Lord.
'Really?' questioned the American in disbelief.
'I prefer to unleash my rage on that bastard. From this day forward, you can consider me an ally, whether you like it or not,' answered the evil Maia.
'You usually work alone. Why are you inclined to assist me when I haven't asked?' queried the New Yorker skeptically.
'I've chosen to team up with you as I'm too weak to face our common foe alone. Against him, we must stay united or we're going to fall,' came the reply from Sauron.
The ex-CIA agent had difficulty believing what he had just heard from the Dark Lord. He pinched himself to prove that he wasn't dreaming.
'I have difficulty accepting the fact that you want to align yourself with me willingly, especially after everything you had done to me,' said the disbelieving ex-secret agent.
'I understand, but I still hold firm to what I had told you,' stated the evil Maia solemnly.
'Does that mean that you won't try to harm me or my friends?' queried the American doubtfully.
'Yes, you have my word,' declared Sauron cruelly.
'If you go back on it, you'll suffer my wrath. Understand?' shouted the New Yorker.
'Yes,' replied the Dark Lord before breaking the connection.
The conversation was over. The evil Maia was unaware that he had returned to his shadow form while he was speaking with Robert. Sauron decided that he needed to keep an eye on Morgoth, so he hid himself close to the Dark Enemy's new fortress.
The policemen at the station were instituting their plan to rescue the poor woman that had been taken captive by Morgoth. The bureaucratic paper work was making the process slower than it should have been.
"Don't forget the plan, party B. Your objective is to keep that strange being's attention diverted while those in party A search for the inspector," announced the chief of operations via the radio.
"What are we going to do if we need reinforcements?" asked one of the policemen.
"Parties C and D will back you up," responded the man.
"Okay, thanks. Everything will be fine," replied another man before the transmission was over.
The law enforcement officers arrived two hours later. They parked their cars.
"Showtime. Let's go," ordered the leader of party A.
The men exited their vehicles. The place was dead silent. The two teams immediately separated. The first group went to the back of the building while the second squad headed straight to what seemed to be the future front gate of the fortress.
The men discovered that the back door of the stronghold appeared to be made from metal. They cautiously approached it before opening the door silently. They then crossed the threshold and found themselves amid the darkness. One of the men pulled out a flashlight and turned it on. The beam of light revealed that they were standing in a large hall with many doors.
They opened each door and explored the areas of the building. They searched for several hours until one of the men found an entrance to another chamber. The man glanced into the room before signaling to his colleagues to follow him furtively into the chamber.
As they walked in slowly, the policemen found the inspector, but she wasn't alone. Someone was guarding her. The men tried to retreat to the shadows before pulling out a little device, but it was too late. They had been seen by the guard who then let out a horrible, inhuman shriek. The sound frightened the men; they were frozen on the spot. Instinctively, one of the officers pulled out his small radio and shouted:
"This is a transmission from party B to teams C and D. It's urgent! We need help… Quick!" reported the man before pocketing the object.
Shortly thereafter, more squad cars appeared out of nowhere. The occupants of them rushed to join their partners. They soon found themselves cornered by giant spiders.
"What are those monstrosities?" yelled a terrified man.
"I don't know. They look like spiders on steroids," replied another as they all pulled out their Berettas, switching off safety.
Only moments later, the place echoed with gunfire. The spiders recoiled from the noise, only one had been killed.
"What was that?" queried an alarmed policeman as they all heard a powerful screech. They quickly reloaded their weapons.
"That forebodes nothing good for us," retorted his partner.
He was right, because the racket had alerted Morgoth. The evil Vala came out of the depths of the fortress where his bedchamber was located, and went to investigate the source of the noise.
"Damn mortals! This time, I've had enough!" barked the enraged Dark Enemy before summoning his minions.
His disciples gathered before him a few minutes later.
"Attack the humans that are both inside and outside of my home!" ordered the fuming Master.
The creatures bowed low before leaving to confront the law enforcement officers. Melkor joined his servant. The men were still staring at the dark figure before them. They were unaware of the evil Vala's presence.
Comprehension dawned on Morgoth when he saw the cops in the room. He knew they were there to rescue his prisoner.
"Take her deeper into the fortress, Caurë," commanded the Dark Foe harshly.
The Wraith grabbed the woman and left the room. The men sent a hail of bullets at the former Nazgûl Lord, but it had no effect on him. That horrified the officers. They watched him disappear into the darkness with the captive.
Melkor turned and faced the men. The policemen reloaded their pistols when they saw him. They began shooting at him, emptying their magazines, but the bullets only passed through the Dark Enemy's shadowy silhouette.
"Now, it's my turn to show you what's on my mind," declared Morgoth coldly after the men emptied their weapons.
A huge, dark mace appeared out of nowhere, and came crashing down on one of the men. When the evil Vala raised his weapon, the cops only saw crushed bones and broken flesh in a pool of blood where the victim stood a minute before.
"Run!" shouted one of the men.
The group ran quickly through the door into the darkness, following the beam cast by the flashlight. The last man was snatched by Melkor.
"Please, let me go," begged the police officer.
"I'll only free you when I choose to," hissed the Dark Foe cruelly.
The sergeant was paralyzed with fear when he heard the voice. He didn't expect the creature to talk.
"What are you?" inquired the pale man.
Morgoth ignored his question. Instead, he broke his neck with only two fingers. He let the sergeant's lifeless body fall to the ground. The evil Vala's laughter echoed throughout the chamber as the body fell.
The policemen were still running through the halls as the fell beasts chased after them through the unfinished stronghold. The men's mission was a failure. The law enforcement officer's had reached the entrance of the fortress when they first caught sight of the fire demons.
When they saw them, some of the men pissed their pants while others screamed in terror. The creatures were beyond anything that they could have ever conceived in their wildest of imaginations. They attempted to flee those demonic beings only to be confronted by the arachnids.
"Don't forget Lord Melkor's instructions. Kill them all!" said one of the spiders.
The men had no idea what to do. The started shooting at the monsters, killing one, but then they saw all the Trolls.
"Shit! We'll never get out of this place alive," exclaimed a man in uniform when he saw them.
"We're in a nightmare! This can't be happening!" shouted another.
"We'll debate that once we get back to the station," replied the leader of the group.
They joined the other policemen that were still fighting the monsters. When they saw the other creatures, the men started to panic. It was as if they had entered Hell. The cops managed to escape and return to their cars. They fled the scene as quickly as possible, heading back to the station.
The Dark Enemy then noticed that the creatures that he had sent out earlier to retrieve slaves and materials had returned.
"Chain them all. They can work on the structure. Force them to labour without any breaks," instructed the evil Vala in a threatening voice.
"I've taken the liberty to chain the woman against the wall in the deepest room of your fortress, Master," informed Caurë when he rejoined Morgoth.
"Excellent! You did a good job. Now, you're going to lead our armies to attack the police station," commanded Melkor harshly.
"As you wish, my Lord," replied the Nazgûl as he took a small group of Balrogs, giant spiders and Trolls with him. They then began to search for the law enforcement officer's headquarters.
A fire demon watched over the women and children, his burning whip in hand, ready to thrash any that labored too slow or collapsed from exhaustion. Morgoth was pleased to no end to witness that. His wicked laughter resonated throughout that entire area as his creatures spread their destruction throughout the Big Apple.
People screamed in terror all over the city. They ran from the creatures looking for a safe refuge. Skyscrapers fell like card houses, which were then set ablaze by the Balrogs. Many humans were killed by the spiders. It was as if New York had been plunged into Hell.
The police officers arrived at the station and hid themselves inside the building. They discussed what they had been through in the last forty-eight hours. They reported to their chief that they were unable to rescue the policewoman. The chief was shocked to hear the part about the giant spiders and that the creature actually talked.
"You said it called him Lord Melkor?" asked the superintendent. He had no idea what to think about the whole situation.
"What do you know about him, sir?" queried one of his men.
Before the superintendent could respond, a call came in over the radio.
"Mister?" he heard someone ask.
"I hear you. Where are you, inspector?" inquired her superior anxiously.
"I'm in His fortress," responded the woman.
"Who is he?" queried the man.
"He's Melkor, a god. And he considers himself to be King of the World," said the lady before pausing. "He doesn't know that I'm talking to you."
"What can we do?" asked the superintendent.
"Evacuate the station while you still can. Alert the media so they can warn the people," advised the policewoman.
"We'll do what you suggest. Thanks, inspector," replied the man before ending the communication between them.
"What are your orders, Mister?" asked another policeman.
"We need to leave the building as quickly as possible. If you encounter any newsmen, provide them with the information we have in our possession," answered their chief.
The men attempted to protest, but their superior had made up his mind, and once he makes up his mind, he never changes it. The police force had no other choice but to depart their headquarters. The climbed into the squad cars, turned on the ignition and left that place. As the last vehicle drove away from the station, they could see the monsters approaching it. A dark, menacing figure led them towards the building. The men drove faster; none had any desire to see the building destroyed by the enemy.
The drove across town to the northern borders and stationed themselves at the edge of the city. The law enforcement officers met the media there, much to their relief.
The officers were glad to see them and explained about all the weird happenings in the city including the situation with the captured woman. After the superintendent finally finished explaining everything, he asked the reporters to inform the populace about the disaster.
The horrified newsmen had a look of terror on their faces when they heard the news. The reporters retreated to their offices where they began to publicize the words of the police chief. CNN was the first network to break the story, which then spread quickly throughout the city and world.
Sandy turned the volume up on the TV when the special bulletin report came on. Everybody listened intently to the newscaster:
"This just in. Earlier tonight, the superintendent of the New York Police Department had informed us that the city is under attack. It was reported that horrible creatures are roaming the city, destroying everything in their path. We've also been told that a mysterious fortress has been erected in the center of the city where a fellow female officer has been imprisoned… "
Robert felt a pain in the base of his neck when he heard that. The American placed his hand on the thin scar that was visible on his flesh. Deep down, he knew intuitively that Morgoth was behind that whole ordeal.
"What is it, Bob?" questioned a worried Maxim when he saw his friend's hand move to his neck.
The ex-spy remained silent; his attention focused on what he had just heard on the television.
"It's Him," declared Robert in a whisper.
"Who?" asked the musician with concern.
"Melkor," answered Robert between clenched teeth.
"… One of our cameramen had caught footage of some of the attacks," announced the man on the screen before the horrific images appeared on TV. Balrogs, giant spiders and Trolls were destroying buildings as they went down the streets. Thick clouds of smoke and dust particles filled the air. Screaming people were running in all directions, attempting to flee the demons.
"It's started," proclaimed the New Yorker gloomily as the nightmarish images continued to play on the screen.
"What are you talking about?" asked a perplexed Eric.
The ex-spy revealed to his friends all that Sauron had told him earlier.
"Who told you all that?" inquired a scared Brennil.
"We've got a new unexpected ally," disclosed the American, as he massaged his scar.
"Want to tell us his name?" queried Mr. Brock.
"It's Sauron," answered the American calmly.
Everybody gasped in surprise when Robert revealed that name.
"At last, I've found you," replied a familiar harsh voice from out of nowhere before Menelleth could say anything.
"How were you able to get in my apartment?" inquired the surprised New Yorker.
"The door to the balcony was open," said his 'ally' in response as they made eye contact.
"Where is that voice coming from?" asked a mystified Eric.
"From that shadow," responded Marilla.
"The Dark Enemy is still building his fortress. Only the back entrance and his private chambers had been completed," stated the Dark Lord himself in the flesh.
"Have you seen something that we ignore?" queried Robert in the Black Speech.
"That son-of-bitch has enslaved women and children; they're erecting his fort while his minions are wreaking havoc in town." The evil Maia paused before shifting his gaze to the rest of the company. "I think introductions are called for," he added.
"You already know Brennil and Marilla. That's Sandy, Eric and Maxim," said the ex-CIA agent as he introduced the Dark Lord to his friends.
"I'm Sauron," said the evil Maia before turning his attention back to the ex-spy. "I must also mention that the traitor has been reunited with his Master."
"What traitor?" asked Sandy as her curiosity got the best of her.
"Caurë. He was known as the Witch-King of Angmar, and Lord of Nazgûls. He had betrayed Sauron's trust by aligning himself with our foe," explained the American softly.
"No man can kill him, they say. I wonder if that still holds true in this world," said Brennil thoughtfully.
"It still applies. He can die," reassured the Dark Lord.
"The time has come for us to decide what we're going to do with our enemies," stated the New Yorker.
"We must get rid of the mysterious cult before attacking any of the other servants of Morgoth," advised the evil Maia.
"Come with me, guys. I think Sauron needs some time to himself in order to meditate," declared Mr. Fraser as he led his friends to the dining room. He had no desire to discuss their options in front of Sauron.
Everybody sat around the table and began discussing possible strategies against their rival, Melkor.
"The Dark Lord was right; the cult is the first obstacle. As long as they stand in our path, we won't be able to reach Morgoth's other servants," declared Robert.
"Then we'll have to enter his 'House of Horrors' unnoticed," commented the guitarist as they debated the matter.
"We'll have to deal with his demons before we even get a chance at Morgoth," remarked the lawyer somberly.
"That's an impossible mission. We'll need a miracle to succeed," muttered Sandy under her breath.
"I know, but we have to try to do something to prevent Morgoth's evil plot from coming to fruition," stated Eric sharply.
"This is what I suggest we do: destroy the cult, then that Caurë and the other monsters. While we're engaging the minions, Robert can get to the Dark Enemy," suggested the half-elf to her companions.
"That's the best plan we have. What do you guys think about it?" asked Maxim.
"I think it's the best one we've come up with so far," replied Sandy after some consideration.
"We must take into account that the priests will have some protection spells around their hideout," remarked Marilla.
"Sauron and I can break them," declared the ex-CIA agent.
"If our fortune turns against us, we can always use the C-4 and all the normal stuff for backup," stated the Frenchman. He knew that would be his brother's plan B should Menelleth's plan fail.
"Perfect. What do you ladies think about it?" queried the ex-spy to the last two members of the group.
"I agree," said the daughter of Morgoth.
"I'm okay with it as long as Robby doesn't face the evil Vala on his own," replied Brennil.
"Great. Let's return to the living room," suggested Eric.
The six friends rejoined the Dark Lord in the adjoining room. He was deep in his reverie and unaware of the mortals' presence. The company decided to let Robert talk with the evil Maia while they prepared their beds for the night.
"Have you made your decision?" asked Sauron.
"We're going to attack the priests before we do anything else," responded the young man as he glared at the Dark Lord.
"That a very wise choice," commented the evil Maia callously.
The American told him their plan for defeating the Dark Enemy. Sauron listened with great interest.
"So, what do you think?" queried the New Yorker frigidly.
"I see that mankind can still surprise me when it comes to them confronting a large scale catastrophe," replied Sauron.
"I take that as a flattering remark from you," said the ex-spy coolly.
"There's something that I should have told you earlier about our connection," declared the evil Maia suddenly.
"Is it a vital detail?" inquired the young man.
"Yes, it is," replied the Dark Lord in response.
"Then tell me," requested Robert as he set eyes upon him.
"The bond we share is deeper than you think. You already know that it was made by using your desire to discover more about me along with my magics. You're carrying a part of my essence within you. That's why I can't die," revealed the former chieftain of Melkor.
"I'm afraid that I don't understand," said the ex-CIA agent.
"As long as you live, I live. If you die, then I shall too," explained the evil Maia as simply as he could.
The American was taken aback; his skin became dangerously pale upon hearing that revelation. He had difficulty digesting it.
"Why are you telling me this now?" shouted the frustrated young man as he balled his fists.
"I've only made that discovery recently," answered Sauron ruthlessly.
The New Yorker swallowed hard as he tried to compose himself. He knew that it was pointless to throw a punch at the Dark Lord. Instead, the ex-spy sat in his armchair; he needed to relax. They young man sat there with his eyes closed, deep in thought. Robert knew that too much depended on him. The notion that his fate was tied with that of Sauron's troubled him deeply.
As the others slept, he remained in a semi-conscience state, thinking about all that had befallen him in the past ten years. Robert analyzed all aspects of what he had been though, and slowly understanding dawned on him from the bottom of his heart.
He realized that what the evil Maia had told him was true and it frightened him to his marrow. After what seemed to be a long while, the ex-secret agent fell asleep. Sauron turned off both the television and the light before bidding the young man goodnight.
Author's Note: Lyrics by Jonas of the song ''In Front Of You''.